The trip to Coruscant was hellish. Aric knew he should rest, but between his worry for Helo and his horror at the events on Nar Shaddaa, he couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Ella, but she was actually Helo, and she was covered with bruises and scars, and then she was bleeding from her stomach and crying his name. Forex didn't say anything at first, but after the third nightmare that had Aric bolt awake, shouting and panting, he enthusiastically suggested a sleeptab, which Aric took without argument. It dulled the nightmares and the heaviness in his chest enough to get a few hours of sleep, but when he woke from it he felt fuzzy and uncoordinated. He let Forex handle the docking procedures and the call to Garza while he showered and tried to wipe the sleep from his eyes.

Forex seemed to enjoy talking, and he told daring stories and spouted Republic propaganda entire way to the Senate tower. He didn't stop even once they arrived in Garza's office.

"Sir, it is an honor to meet such an esteemed member of the Republic. Together we will crush the Imperial scum beneath the boot-heel of justice!" Garza looked mildly amused.

"That's what I want to her," she said, motioning for a woman standing in the corner of her office to come forward. "This is K'ya, one of our engineers. She's going to take a look at your programming and make sure there aren't any hidden Imperial fail-safes." If a droid could look shocked and offended, Aric thought that Forex probably would be. Instead, he saluted General Garza, bellowed, "For the Republic!", then followed the woman out of the room.

Garza stood for a long moment, carefully evaluating Aric. He stood at attention, gazing at a spot on the wall behind her head.

"Sergeant, you look terrible," she finally set. "At ease." He relaxed slightly, but didn't move his gaze. He was sure that if he met Garza's eyes, she would be able to see right into him. There was an uncomfortable silence, then Garza sighed. "I know that you're angry, and you have every right to be." Aric stiffened. "I want you to know that it was not an easy decision to sent Lieutenant Helo back to Nar Shaddaa." He huffed lightly, hoping that Garza wouldn't notice.

"It's not my job to question orders," Aric said stiffly. Garza shook her head.

"No, it isn't," she admitted. "But it isn't easy watching someone you care for get hurt." Surprise made Aric finally turn his gaze to the General, and he saw something like compassion in her eyes. "I'm not blind, Sergeant. You care for her."

"I'm not – she – she's my commanding officer, sir," Aric stammered, brain still fuzzy from the sleeptab. "Her well-being is integral to the squad's-"

"Sergeant, you don't need to explain." Garza's interruption was firm but not unkind. "I'm putting you and the Lieutenant on convalescent leave until she's back on her feet. You could use the rest."

"Sir?"

"The engineers will take a while to determine if the droid has any residual Imperial programming, and I need you both in peak condition for the fight against Tavus." She sat back down behind her desk and waved her hand toward the door. "The lieutenant is at the Galactic City Medical Center. Dismissed."

xxx

Aric had never been to the Galactic City Medical Center before, and was astounded by its architecture. Glass spires soared into the air, sunlight glinting off the peaks and trickling down to the ground. An artificial river ran around the outside of the building, and when he crossed the bridge over it, he could see some kind of fish moving lazily with the current.

The young Zabrak at the front desk pointed Aric toward the trauma wing, on the seventh floor of the north tower. The glass fronted elevator gave him a fantastic view of the city, but he barely even saw it. When he reached the seventh floor he hurried down the hallway, slowing down outside room 703. A tall, dark-haired man with a datapad stood in the doorway, and he turned to Aric.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see the Lieut—to see Helo. Helo Summers." He tried to peer around the man but it was impossible, he filled the entire doorway.

"Are you family?" Aric shook his head. "Sorry, only family for now, her-"

"Helo, I think it's your boyfriend!" A drawling, cheerful voice interrupted the doctor and he stepped aside to reveal a short, red-headed woman with a thick scar through her right eye. She wore dark red pants and a white shirt, open at the neck, with a heavy black vest over top.

There was a mumbled protest from in the room, and the redhead put a hand on the doctor's arm.

"Let him in, Doc." She winked and Aric could see the doctor blush. He nodded and stepped aside, letting Aric into the room.

Helo was sitting up in a large, comfortable looking bed, propped up by several pillows. She looked exhausted, and her entire torso was wrapped in bandages that poked out from under her hospital-issued shirt. When she saw Aric, an enormous smile broke out across her face.

"Aric," she breathed, not even bothering to pretend to be professional. Aric smiled back but stood there awkwardly. The red-headed girl was still standing behind him, hands on her hips, and a man sat in the chair beside Helo's bed. He had dark, thick dreadlocks that were bound at the back of his head, and a heavily scarred face. He smiled broadly at Aric and stood up, reaching out a hand.

"Howdy, you must be Aric!" The man shook his hand enthusiastically. "I'm Corso, Helo's cousin. She's told us all about you." Aric nodded, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. His tongue was thick and heavy in his mouth, and all he could do was gaze at Helo. She was alive. She was awake. She wasn't bleeding to death in his arms, or imprisoned by a gangster, or hurting herself to keep the bad thoughts away. She was here, she was breathing, she was whole. His chest ached.

"Corso, let 'em be," the redhead grabbed Corso by the waist and pulled him toward her, even though she only came up to his armpit. "I think they need a minute. Or several." Corso laughed and turned to Helo, waving. "We'll be back!"

And then it was them. Just them, with only three feet between them. Three feet and so many words.

"I thought you were going to die." Aric didn't mean to start that way, but the words tumbled off his tongue before he could stop them. He felt a hot, prickling sensation behind his eyes and at the bridge of his nose. "There was so much blood and you weren't breathing and they took you aw-"

"Aric." Her voice was soft, and she reached out a hand toward him. "Come here." He obliged, stepping toward her and falling into the chair next to her bed. He was so, so tired. He swallowed, looking into her dark grey eyes and trying to memorize her face. It was scratched and scarred from the shrapnel, and she looked beautiful. "You saved my life," she whispered, reaching out and placing a hand on his cheek. He leaned into it immediately, letting out a quiet half-sob, half-sigh. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, not caring who saw or what they would say. She opened her mouth to his and kissed him back, hard and desperate, and he could feel wetness smudging between their cheeks. She broke away gently, putting her other hand on the other side of his face and leaning her forehead against his. "You saved me."